FIRE INQUIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 337, 12 March 1910, Page 2

FIRE INQUIRY.

THE CAUSE UNKNOWN.

An inquiry into the recent fire in Devon street was held, in the Courthouse yesterday before Mr H. S. Fitzherbert, S.M., and a jury of six. The inquiry, which was held at the request of Superintendent Bell ringer, of the Fire Board, was con-ducted by Detective Boadam.

Albert Lethaby, umbrella maker, deposed that in February he resided with ; j nMrs Milson, his step-sister, in Devon street. The front shop was suodivicled, Mrs Milson carrying on her confectionery business iii one half, and witness his business in the other half, un vho night of the fire, when Mrs Milson was away, (witness occupied (the bedroom on the ground floor at the back of the premises.. On the, evenuig uf February . 24 he returned to the shop a few minutes after eleven., He entered by the ■front door of the shop, walked through to- the-dining.-room, and ,a candle .'.was oiTa.- corner: ot a table" in that room. He, <;ould not say what he did with the match.- -He' read for about a quarter of an hour, and then blew the candle out and went to sleep. He Mas awakened about 2 a.iii. by an explosion. He got out of bed, and found the passage full of flames. He then tried to get out of the bedroom window. He had to force the lower sash of the window up, and then tie goT, out without any clothes on. He called out "fire," but saw no one about. The fireliell w;u' ringing as he was getting out of the window. He had thrown liis clothes out of the window before getting out, and lie dressed in the yard. He did not re-enter the building again that morning. At the time of the fire | the cupboard in the dining-room, to the j best of liis belief, some paint, sugar, a I couple of little boxes, and a' tin of ben- ! zine. The benzine tin was fasten d down securely. (Tin produced and in spected.) There was also a few um brella covers in the cupboard. There was a gas meter in the dining-room, but no fittings. A lamp stood on the dining-room table on the night of uie

fire, but there was very little kerosene t in it. Mrs Milson owned a sewing machine that was in the building. (Witness's stock was valued at £35. The value after theto was about £9 i4 S . He had nsu-ktfflrance policy over the stock himself. All witness had to do with the insurance policy was to ..«k the agent to come up, telling him that Mrs Milson wanted a policy' for £IOO. On the agent's advice another £25 v,a ; added to the insurance of the furniture, making £125 in all. The benzine referred to was used by witness" in his business. Mrs Mi I son was in Hawera !at the time of the lire, having there on the Monday before the lire. I Isabella Mila'on, widow, stated that she weiit t<> Hawera on the Monday 'prior to the fire, and was there when the fire occurred. She had the stu;k and furniture insured in the Guardian I office for £125. Of this £25 was on the furniture, and the balance on all the stock in the shop. .She thought the policy was effected about the beginning of January. The building owned by Mr C. W. Govett. The total amount of lier claim against ■■ «e Guardian Company was £7O. In the cupboard already mentioned there was a Small box of shavings that witness was keeping to pack some cups and saucers in to send away. She had been in New Plymouth 18 months, a id iher business was beginning to pay well. She. had lost by tbe fire.

J. S. S. Medley, district agent of the Guardian Insurance Company, said the policy in question was affected on January 10 of this year. The risk was considered a safe one. Personally, lie considered the claim a bona fide one. To Mr Bellringer: Witness's clerk estimated the value of the sJtock, wi'.en the proposal was made for a policy, at £l6O. This did not include the fu» '.iiure. The Coroner considered 'the matter a simple one. The fire had seemed to have originated at the cupboard, in which were tbe benzine and the shavings. It was very probable that .Mr Lethaby, "on returning from the Theatre, had lit a match to light the.candle .with, and perhaps, in careles's'y throwing it down, thrown it into tbe shavings. After a retirement of a quarter of an hour the jury returned with a verdict that there was no evidence to show bow the .fire originated, and that in thdlr opinion the fire was accidental.: